


The Doctor's Last Christmas

by Jayteesee



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode: 2014 Xmas Last Christmas, F/M, Spoilers for Episode: 2014 Xmas Last Christmas, The Doctor Loves River, the Doctor misses River
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-03-08 10:59:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3206705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayteesee/pseuds/Jayteesee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the Doctor came knocking on Clara's dream door, he experienced a dream of his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Doctor's Last Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Idea came. Idea developed. Idea is written. Also, this explains how the Doctor knew Clara was dreaming, but Clara did not.

The Doctor woke up in his bed. For some reason that felt strange. No, it was his bed. The bed he shares with... "River!"

"Hm?" responded the figure rolling over to face him, "Sweetie, what's happened? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I... I don't know. Just feel... odd," replied the Doctor.

"Maybe because you're dying," said River with a yawn, "Never the one for dying, Sweetie. I _did_ try to kill you. Somehow, you convinced me to love you, and here we are."

"I'm sorry, what?" asked the Doctor.

"Okay, you're dying because there's a Dream Crab attached to your face which is slowly trying to dissolve your brain... granted that might take some time..."

"Then why are you telling me this? If you're a dream generated by a creature who wants to keep me in this state so it can eat me for Christmas dinner, why are you convincing me that this isn't real? Why are you helping me?" asked the Doctor .

"When have I not helped you?" returned River.

She got out of bed and headed towards the console room. The Doctor stumbled after her. "Come on, then. Off to Clara," said River as she began to press buttons and pull levers.

"No," said the Doctor as he grabbed her hand.

"Sweetie, Clara is dying," persisted River.

"She has time. I don't have much with you," said the Doctor as he closed one hand over River's and put the other around her waist.

He led her away from the console and began to sway with her though no music was playing. "I've missed you. So much. I've never really shown it, but I do. If this is a dream, I don't wanna wake up," said the Doctor into River's hair.

"I've missed you too. You never write. You could always shoot me an e-mail. I live inside a computer after all," said River.

"How vain am I- imagining my wife saying she misses me," joked the Doctor.

River did not respond. She only sighed and pressed herself closer to the Doctor's body laying her head on his chest to hear his double heartbeat. "My love, you have others to think about now," said River after a while.

"How am I supposed to let you go? I loved you, River," asked the Doctor.

"Find Clara, and you'll find your answer," said River as she broke away from him.

The Doctor cocked his head as he could have sworn he felt reluctance as she let go. No, she was a dream. She could not feel reluctance. River began punching in the coordinates for Clara's house as the Doctor watched with a pained and confused expression on his face. The TARDIS landed at Clara's, and the Doctor stepped out. Before he reached Clara's door, he turned around to see River watching him choking back sobs. "River, I know this is a dream, but are you rea..."

Before he could finish, River slammed the door shut. The Doctor rushed for the TARDIS and began pulling and pushing at the doors, but they were locked. "River! Let me in! Let me in."

He heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS dematerializing. River must have been in a hurry to not turn the brakes off. He stepped back from the TARDIS and turned again towards Clara's door. He did not want to see the TARDIS go. He hates "goodbyes". So, he knocks on Clara's door and says, "Hi."

 


End file.
